Canon Powershot S50 -lens extends and then retracts

I've had my Canon Powershot S50 since 2004. About a year ago, I found that when I slid the cover open, the lens would extend (like it should), but then it would retract and the camera would shut off. I thought perhaps it was due to the battery, but that doesn't seem to be the problem, although the battery doesn't seem to last as long as it used to on a charge.

I'm wondering if the cover over the lens has gotten damaged, since it takes a beating, having been slid back and forth for 4 years now.

There is a common problem with the A series Powershots, that the lens assembly jams in the telescoping zoom, or in the digital imaging module, in which the lens assembly has to be replaced. I'm not sure if the S series has these issues. You can check with Canon support to find out.

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Hi,"E18"indicates an error that involves the lens unit or lens cover in your camera .This error appears where the lens is prevented from properly extending or retracting .The error may also be displayed if the lens camera has been subjected to an external shock, or if a foreign substance (i.e. liquid, sand, dirt) enters the camera.Hold the camera so that your fingers do not touch the lens unit when you are shooting. Make sure the camera is off before the camera is placed back in the case. Exercise caution to ensure that the camera does not accidentally power on while the camera is stored inside the case.If you cannot clear the error code by turning the camera off and then on again, or if the error code is displayed frequently, a camera malfunction may have occurred and might require service from canon.Or else try pressing the power button on and held it down while extending the zoom lens. The lens will extend out and the camera will be freed from the error.Thank you !!

It is a flaw well know by users of Canon Powershot and Ixus cameras and is currently not acknowledged by Canon as a flaw in camera design.

HOW IT ALL WORKS:

Canon E18 error happens when the lens gets stuck while trying to extend. The camera will beep a few times and the LCD will display a little E18 in the lower-left corner. The lens gets stuck in the extended position, and refuses to move either to focus the lens or to retract when powered off.

Apparently, people who posted about this incident on forums say they had to send the camera for repair and that Canon has horrible customer support and response time.

The problem usually happens because dirt or sand get into the lens mechanism. But it seems that more and more people are showing, who took great care of their camera, and still started receiving E18 errors.

It seems that the problems have been happening with the following types of Canon cameras:

If your camera is still under warranty, the best thing you can do is to take it to the nearest official Canon repair shop and Canon should fix it for free.

If your camera is out of warranty, or if Canon refuses to repair it for free (happens sometimes if for example they suspect the camera has not been treated properly) you can try some of the methods listed here to repair it yourself. These simple methods have helped a lot of people fix their cameras.

Before trying any of the suggestions, make sure your Canon has fresh batteries and it is in recording mode.

1) Remove the batteries from the camera, wait for a couple of minutes, then put them back in and turn the camera on.

2) Try compressed air. With a fine tip blow off gun and dry compressed air (20 lbs) set the tip between the lens turret and the camera body and turn on the air while moving the tip around the lens. It should remove all dust and sand. Turn the camera on and it should function fine.

3) Another method is to tap the padded USB cover part on a hard surface, for example, a desk. It sounds so simple, but very often in works.

4) Try forcing the camera lens:

Turn off the camera. Place it on the back with the lens facing up and take a look at the spacing between the lens and the lens housing. If you notice that the gap is not even all the way around the lens, the problem should be easy to fix. This type of a problem usually occurs if the camera was dropped while the lens was extended.

Simply - VERY GENTLY - press down the lens on the side where the gap is the biggest. You should hear a "click" as it pops back into place. Try powering the camera back on.

If the lens doesn't extend at all or it extends, and then retracts again, do the following. Turn the camera off. Take the camera in one hand and with the other gently take one part of the lens and gently move it round in a circular movement. Do so with both sections of the lens. You will hear a "click" as it pops back in place. Power the camera on.

Another version of this fix would be to pull and twist on the largest ring of the lens while turning the camera on. Listen for a "click". If at first the focus seems to be off, turn the camera on and off and take lots of pictures, close ups and distance. Focus should slowly start improving.

5) If that doesn't work, there is an online guide for dismantling Canon cameras and fixing the E18 error. (NOTE: Try this only if your camera is no longer under warranty!) It is a great guide with pictures and it can be found here.

There are 2 other guides, one Bulgarian and one Estonian with the take apart procedure for Canon cameras. They are not in english but have a lot of pictures which help with the process.

Canon E18 error happens when the lens gets stuck while trying to extend. The camera will beep a few times and the LCD will display a little E18 in the lower-left corner. The lens gets stuck in the extended position, and refuses to move either to focus the lens or to retract when powered off. This is caused by dirt in between the telescoping portions of the lens. You can clean this with compressed air, generally. Blow air all around the turret sections of the lens. you can also GENTLY push the lens inward ( have the lens extended and take the battery out... then push inward...)

I had the same problem with a S50, where the lens door would not operate properly and would not open enough to cause the camera to activate. I took it apart and found that there are two small gears that keep the door on track, one had split in half and jammed the mechanism. They were white plastic, perhaps nylon? I found another S50 on ebay with broken electronics but a working lens door and took parts from it to fix my system. Getting the tiny gear in place was tricky as there are several springs used to activate the camera on switch.

I have been having the same problem. Once opened, the sliding
door will not close and the lens won't retract. But I have found
that if you plug the camera into a computer via a USB, the lens then
retracts enabling you to close the lens cover.
I'm still trying to find a way to fix this problem, since this is a great camers and still takes fantastic pictures.